This document discusses renovations and upgrades to university athletic facilities and amenities. It provides three case studies of recent projects at Villanova University, Boston University, and other schools. The projects focused on installing synthetic turf fields, building multipurpose facilities, and selecting portable equipment like goals, shelters, and safety netting that can accommodate different sports. The article emphasizes choosing high quality, multipurpose equipment that creates a "wow factor" and meets the needs of multiple teams. It also recommends consulting other universities for advice on planning renovations that make the most of available space and budgets.

1. GRAND VIEW
UNIVERSITY
CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE
IN TEACHING & LEARNING
Middlebury College
Athletics Complex
Ithaca College
Athletics & Events Center
Design for Modern Labs
Situational Awareness
VRF Zoning
AUGUST 2015
PUPNMAG.COM
PRIVATE UNIVERSITY PRODUCTS AND NEWS

2. AUGUST 2015 5pupnmag.com
Cover photo courtesy Grand View University.
08DR. KEVIN GANNON AND GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY
by Rachel Clevenger
Grand View University’s Dr. Kevin Gannon directs the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,
focused on teaching excellence, enhanced student learning, and improved use of instructional technologies.
22TEMPORARY STAND-ALONE FACILITIES
by Jim Avery
When making building renovations, universities often keep buildings partially open and renovate floor by floor,
but this solution often puts students and teachers in an unpleasant environment.
18CREATING THE “WOW” FACTOR FOR SPORTS AMENITIES
by Leigh Driscoll Diskin
Athletic directors and facility directors are undertaking facility and field renovations to assure that their
teams are the envy of all others in their respective conferences.
14ADAPTING TO NEW DEMANDS: MODERN LAB DESIGN
by Ron Vaughn and Eddie Adkins
Any new university science building needs to be able to stand the test of time and adapt to new demands that are
certainly headed our way. The modern laboratory must become “collaboratories.”
GREEN TURNS
TO GOLD
by Megan Christopher
Decades in the imagining, Ithaca
College Athletics and Events Center
offers an unparalleled athletic
experience for student-athletes and an
expansive, modern space for events.
30
FROM OLD
TO NEW
by Kevin Miskewicz
A proven HVAC technology
worldwide, Variable Refrigerant
Flow zoning is known for providing
superior occupant comfort, regardless
of time of day or season.
48
SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS
by Mike MacLeod
Real-time situational awareness is
the key to campus risk management
so administrators, staff and students
know what’s happening, where it’s
happening, and what to do about it.
40
MAJOR
UPGRADES
by Stephen Diehl
Middlebury College completed a
major project that integrates its indoor
athletic facilities with each other, while
tying the Athletics complex more
closely to its residential campus.
58
FEATURES

3. 18 PRIVATE UNIVERSITY PRODUCTS AND NEWS pupnmag.com
By Leigh Driscoll DiskinSPORTS & FITNESS
Creating the “Wow”
Factor for Sports
Amenities
It should come as no surprise that universities throughout the country are
under constant scrutiny to maintain a prestigious image by providing their
athletes the latest and greatest in sports amenities. Many administrators
feel that athletic programs play a major role in their college’s or university’s
success and send a strong message to recruits, current students and alumni
that their institutions are committed to excellence.
In other words, athletic directors and facility directors alike are undertaking
facility and field renovations to assure that their teams are the envy of all
others in their respective conferences. Additionally, most of these projects
seem to share a common goal: creating a “wow factor” while maximizing
space and budgets.

4. AUGUST 2015 19pupnmag.com
Working Within a Limited Landscape
While some universities may have acres to maintain different facilities
for every sport, others may have a limited landscape that requires
one facility to serve multiple sports and/or activities. Regardless of
the space configurations, the name of the game is all about being
everything to everybody. Every sport wants to be, or at least feel like,
“king.” And taking on a facility upgrade is a great place to start.
Creating the proper foundation with beautiful grass or synthetic
turf fields is an obvious focus for facility projects; however, the less
apparent, yet equally important, factor is the loose equipment selected
to complete the project—what you might call “the icing on the cake.”
And the flavor of the month is portable, multipurpose equipment that
can be configured every which way depending on the sport or activity.
Portable press boxes, sideline shelters, video towers and protective
sports netting are all products that serve the common good whether
it’s utilized by one specific sport or several teams.
Villanova University’s Higgins Soccer Complex
Located in the Philadelphia suburbs, Villanova University happens
to have the luxury of outdoor space to spread its athletic program’s
wings. Having separate fields for most sports, they most recently felt
the heat to upgrade their Higgins Soccer Complex. Two grass fields
were replaced with the highest-rated FIFA turf currently in existence.
“We wanted our soccer complex to be state-of-the-art,” recalled Mick
Keelan, Villanova University Associate Athletic Director of Facilities
& Operations. “Of course turf selection was priority one, but we knew
the goals and sidelines needed to make just as strong an impression.”
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5. 20 PRIVATE UNIVERSITY PRODUCTS AND NEWS pupnmag.com
A national manufacturer was chosen to
provide the required athletic equipment
to complete the project. The main soccer
field received Europa Semi-Permanent
International Soccer Goals with custom blue
and white soccer nets to display Wildcat pride.
The sideline configuration is second to none,
featuring four Players’ Sideline Shelters (two
home and two visitor) and Media Package
as their portable press box and video tower
combo. One end of the main field actually
featured a concrete retaining wall that was
a safety concern, so it had to be addressed.
Villanova engaged the same athletic company
to custom-fabricate a wall padding solution
that provided a safe, finished appearance.
The second field in the complex received
the synthetic turf upgrade as well. Mainly
slated as a practice field, it was outfitted with
a pair of portable Europa International Soccer
Goals so they could be easily moved on an as
needed basis. Ideally, the main and peripheral
fields could be used simultaneously. With
all that potential crossover activity , player
safety had to be a top priority. Hence, Keelan
and his team investigated the best options
for protective sports netting and discovered
that BallStopper systems offered the height
configurations and custom integrations that
were crucial for the project.
Boston University Uses Limited
Real Estate Wisely at New
Balance Field
Boston University is a prime example of how
to think outside the box and use limited real
estate wisely. Their newest athletic addition,
New Balance Field, is a stadium complex
constructed atop a 350 space parking garage.
The ultramodern structure is home to the
nationally ranked women’s field hockey team,
as well as numerous club sports and intramural
leagues. As an artificial, AstroTurf12 field, it
features a state-of-the-art watering system
that allows the BU coaching staff to start the
water cannons by using an app on their cell
phones.
For their multi-purpose equipment, they
opted for a portable elevated scorer’s platform
with an attached custom height video tower to
anchor their sideline. Tim Cavanaugh, who
is the Athletic Facilities Director at Boston
University, mentions they found several
companies to offer portable scorer’s platforms,
but BU was looking specifically for a platform
that could be custom modified to fit to their
higher video tower. Above all, they wanted a
piece that would complete “the first-class vibe
of our new facility,” Cavanaugh explains.
Staying Mindful Throughout
the Planning Process
When it comes time for your own facility
addition or renovation, a good place to start
is by contacting other athletic or facility
directors who have recently been through
similar projects. No doubt they will have
plenty of helpful advice and/or cautionary
tales. Also remember to enlist the help of
industry experts to make the most of your
available resources. What seems like a major
problem to you may be looked upon as an
easily solvable challenge to a professional.
Additionally, with all of the time, effort and
money expended on the design and execution
of the construction, you should be mindful to
mirror that same energy when selecting the
loose athletic equipment. Don’t lose steam at
the project wrap up and just buy anything.
You may be surprised that with a simple
internet search, you’ll discover that the best
quality products cost the same or less than
some of the inferior ones. Finally, the more
multi-purpose equipment you incorporate,
the better chance you have of making all of
your teams feel like winners.
Sports & Fitness continued
Regardless of the space configurations, the name of the game is all
about being everything to everyboady. Every sport wants to be, or
at least feel like, “king.” And taking on a facility upgrade is a great
place to start.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Leigh Driscoll Diskin
is Director of Marketing at Aluminum
Athletic Equipment Co., sister to Product
Designer Adam Driscoll, daughter to President Tim
Driscoll and grand-niece to founder, John Marzucco.
Leigh enjoys working in a family-owned business, tak-
ing pride in its top-quality, Made in the USA products.